Library Director Maureen Frank retires; Robert Rynkiewicz named as replacement

Maureen Sherr Frank, who has served as Atlantic City Free Public Library Director since 1982, has retired. Her final day as Library Director was Oct. 31. The Library’s Board of Trustees has appointed Robert P. Rynkiewicz the new Library Director, effective Nov. 1.“The Board of Trustees commends and thanks Maureen Sherr Frank for the outstanding work she has done at the Atlantic City Free Public Library,” Board of Trustees President William Cheatham said. “Under her leadership, the library has made a tremendous impact on the lives of many in the Atlantic City community by providing essential resources, services and training, and by responding to the ever-changing needs of the residents. She will be greatly missed. We wish her nothing but the best in the next chapter of her life.“We’re fortunate to have somebody with Bob Rynkiewicz’s library experience and knowledge of our community ready to step in to replace Maureen. He has worked side-by-side with Maureen for more than 30 years, so we expect a seamless transition. We’re thrilled to have Bob leading us into the future.”During Frank’s tenure, the Atlantic City Free Public Library opened its current Main Library and Richmond Branch Library locations, and was among New Jersey’s first libraries to create a Teen Space and Makerspace. The Library also reopened and assumed management of the Atlantic City Historical Museum on Garden Pier in 2012.She has worked with the Library’s Board of Trustees and staff to implement new services to meet the needs of the Atlantic City community, including the development of the world language collection, and expanded access to computers, electronic information, training and programs.Frank has served as president of the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative (SJRLC) and Urban Libraries section of the New Jersey Library Association (NJLA), and represented public libraries on the New Jersey Library Network Review Board. In 2010 she received the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Award presented by the Atlantic City Branch of the NAACP. She was also on the MLK Federal Holiday Commission National Library Committee. She currently serves on United Way’s Women’s Leadership Initiative and was previously a Main Street/Atlantic City Advisory Committee member.Rynkiewicz has worked at the Atlantic City Free Public Library since 1979, when he joined the staff as a library assistant in the Circulation Department. His experience includes time as the Head of the Audio-Visual, Technical Services, Adult Services and the Information Technology departments of the library, and he was appointed Assistant Director in 1990. He has served on numerous SJRLC and NJLA committees. Rynkiewicz has written several articles focusing on the use of information technology in libraries as well as presented workshops focusing on the use of open source technology, including at the Computers in Libraries and New Jersey Library Association annual conferences. More recently Rynkiewicz has worked with staff to institute cost-savings measures, including implementation of a new integrated library system, Koha. He also served as an adjunct professor of computer science at Cape Atlantic Community College for 15 years.“I am very grateful to the board for appointing me to be the library director,” he said. “The library serves a diverse community with a dedicated staff. The Atlantic City Library has a great reputation of providing services to Atlantic City and surrounding areas. I look forward to working with everyone to build on this legacy.”